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View Full Version : A New Life



JGraham
04-09-10, 6:11 am
I'm a private person, but since I became addicted to lifting I've been looking for somewhere I could express the thoughts and feelings I have about iron. You just can't talk about it to someone who doesn't spend time in the gym, who isn't addicted to this life. I hope this is the right place for that.

A little background...

I started my second deployment to Iraq back in Sept 09 and looking back now I can say my life was at an all time low. After 12 years in the military my career was stagnant, I was shining a seat with my ass instead of leading soldiers where I should have been. I was out of shape and about 25 pounds overweight, and to be honest I couldn't have met the Army's minimum fitness standards, but I don't think my leadership cared. I was the "used to be a good NCO" that just didn't care any more.

Before the deployment I spent my time drinking or playing video games and not paying a whole lot of attention to my wife or kids. Life was pretty fuckin stagnant. I don't know how the wife put up with it, but I'm glad she stayed by my side.

Just for the hell of it I went out and tried to run two miles and wow did I get a surprise... I couldn't even finish the run. My knees hurt, my back hurt, it was hard to breathe, I was completely out of shape and weak as a kitten at 5'9" and 225 pounds. I knew I was in trouble if I didn't change something before the next record PT test. I had never spent much time inside a gym or lifted weights, but I bought a Men's Health work out guide and hit the gym. That was September. I became addicted to Iron.

Within three months I had my killer instinct back, my confidence was back, and I had a renewed love of life. My stress levels were almost nonexistant. Lifting weights really did change my life. I was still just "getting in shape" but the weights did wonders for me. The powers that be decided to give me another shot at leading soldiers.

It's April now. I still weigh about 220 but there's not a whole lot of fat on me any more and I have a lot of shirts that no longer fit. I'm not the strongest guy out there but I'm damn sure a hell of a lot stronger than I was six months ago. Iron changed my life. I feel like I have a second chance at everything now. I'm not "getting in shape" any more. I went from getting in shape to bodybuilding, but then I found Powerlifting.

I'd never in my life heard of Powerlifting but a friend told me to check out Animalpak.com and I read G Diesel's article on Powerbuilding and did some research. If I'm not working I'm reading everything I can find on lifting, or I'm planning my next session at the gym. Because I'm military I do a LOT more cardio than any powerlifter should and I don't eat as much as recommended, but my strength goes up every week. My goal right now is to break 1000 pounds between the three big lifts and as of last week I was at 905. I'm on my third week of Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program and so far I love it.

I'll post my thoughts and progress here, Animal seems like the place to do it.

C.Coronato
04-09-10, 10:36 am
Welcome my man, thats awesome. Glad to see you found your way. Keep it up.

Operation Guns
04-09-10, 10:47 am
I've been looking for somewhere I could express the thoughts and feelings I have about iron. You just can't talk about it to someone who doesn't spend time in the gym, who isn't addicted to this life. I hope this is the right place for that.


I can certainly relate man, It's hard to talk to my friends about why i lift. They just seriously don't get it. They don't ridicule or make fun of me, but they just don't understand. Glad I happened across this site. People here get it, it's just filled with positive reinforcement and great ideas everyone. Keep it going man, i'm along for your ride.

JGraham
04-12-10, 3:25 pm
Living in a tent in Iraq with eighteen other soldiers and working long ass hours should make it harder to lift. We have six shower stalls for close to four hundred of us and everyone from the bottom of the food chain to the top seems to be losing their damn minds. Long hours and hard days, we all deal with it.

I find myself focused more and more on lifting. It's how I get through my day and it's how I stay happy in a place where damn near everyone is unhappy. All that shit matters less and less. What matters? I hit a new PR today. 235 for two reps on bench. My bench is weak, has been consistently weak since I started lifting, and 235 for 2 was pretty damn amazing for me. When I put the bar up for that second rep I saw stars and was dizzy and naseus when I stood up, but damnit I did it.

All the bullshit from the day and the week ended right there. I was as happy as I could be right then. I every free moment of my day thinking about my next lift day, that next workout session, setting goals for a new PR. Even as I'm writing this I'm already focusing on tomorrow, squat day. I'm supposed to be doing 305 for my last set for as many as I can get. I've never lifted 305lbs on squats. Thinking about it is part fear and part excitement.

Right now in life there is nothing quite like putting myself under the bar with heavy weights. It's a contest, a battle, a test of manhood. Those weights will hurt, maim, or kill you if you give them half a chance. Be weak when you step out of the rack and the weights will get you. I probably spent too much time setting up to lift, but if I don't give it all my focus and all my energy I know I won't move the weight, it will beat me. Every day that I beat them is a sense of accomplishment, a goal reached.

I don't always win, I don't always hit the reps I want to, and sometimes I don't move the weight, but when I do it's a victory. Seems like no matter how bad my day is, or how stressful things get, that last heavy set makes it all right. If I didn't have to maintain Army fitness standards I would go pure powerlifting. I've become addicted to the heavy lift. If I push that last rep and don't get that dizzy, naseus feeling I know I didn't give it everything and I'll take a break and try one more time.

Enough rambling today. Had to get those thoughts out.